Vegan Meaty Mushroom and Guinness Pie

Serves: 10

Time: 1 hour

Price: €7.95 – €0.80 per portion

With a New Year hours away, many people will be (thankfully) considering taking steps towards a more cruelty free diet and life. The main aim of my blog is to inspire people to eat more of these food and realise that the vegan diet is anything but a restrictive one. With that said, I wanted to create a new years day dinner recipe that will catch the eyes, noses and tastebuds of vegans and omnivores alike. One year, I don’t know when, but my wonderful Mum started making this amazing steak and Guinness pie. I have no idea if we actually started having this on New Year every year, but in my head we did. So here is how I veganised this glorious dish!

You will need:

• 1 can of Guinness
• 2 punnets chestnut mushrooms
• 2 tbsp tamari
• 1 tbsp vegan Worcester sauce
• 2 cups young jack-fruit (I used this uptons one but you can used canned instead)
• 3 small carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 small white onions, diced
• 1 bulb of garlic, minced (you can reduce this if you’re weird and don’t like garlic)
• 2 knorr veggie stock pots – or 2 stock cubes
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp barbecue sauce
• 1 pack (6) Linda McCartney sausages, defrosted and chopped into chunks – you can use your favourite vegan sausage but I think Linda’s suit the dish best
• 1 sheet vegan puff pasty – I use the jusrol one
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp plant milk
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• water
• your oven preheated to 180c (fan)

How to make it:

True to form, this recipe begins by sweating down the onions and garlic in some water until translucent and soft.

Next, add the carrot, mushrooms, stock pots, tomato puree, barbecue sauce, tamari, Worcester sauce, sausages and of course – the Guinness – into the pan. Cover, and simmer on a medium heat until the carrots are soft.

This stage is entirely personal. Some people like a runny pie, some people prefer it a little bit thicker. If you’re one of the latter, mix up about a tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp water and add to the pan, mixing thoroughly. If it’s too thick, you can add a bit of water – or if you want it thicker repeat the cornstarch part.

Portion up your pie filling into your dishes of choice. This recipe will do two of these enamel dishes. I used one of these and 4 ramekins so that I have individual portions, too – it’s entirely up to you.

Cover your filling with your vegan puff pastry. Make sure to crimp the edges so that it doesn’t puff up and off of your dish – and give your filling some breathing holes!! Brush with a mix of 2 tbsp plant milk and 1 tbsp maple syrup – this is a great alternative to those yucky egg-washes! Pop in the over for 30 mins.

Remove when your pastry is golden and puffed. What better way to serve this vegan New Year’s Day pie, than with a pint of Guinness – it would only be fitting!

As you’ve probably grown to expect from my recipes, this can be made ahead of time. Just stop before the baking part. Top the pie with the raw pastry and refrigerate overnight. When you’re ready to sit down to your New Year’s Day dinner, just pop in the oven at 180c (fan) for 30 mins – I promise, any hungover guests will thank you! You could also freeze the filling for another time. Just defrost it right along side your pastry!

I hope you all have a lovely New Year, however you celebrate! If you have any New Year resolutions or affirmations – I wish you well in all of your endeavors and your journey through this next year.

Let me know if you try this recipe by commenting down below and tagging me on Instagram! If you have any suggestions on ways you improved this recipe or your own little additions, please share! I have recently set up a Facebook page for the blog as another way to connect with you all. Also feel free to share/pin this recipe on Pinterest!